Michael Robertson, founder of MP3.com, has launched a new music download service that sells DRM-free albums (no singles) in the MP3 format, but Warner Music Group is not happy about it. AnywhereCD currently offers a fairly wide selection of music with a number of big names, such as Green Day, They Might Be Giants, Rolling Stones, Faith Hill, Metallica, and more. Although Robertson claims that albums start at $9.95, most albums are ranged from $12.95 to $19.95 apiece. The extra value apparently comes from the "confidence of knowing you own all the digital tracks forever and they will play everywhere." The MP3 files purchased through the service are encoded at 192kbps, or better – the site claims that "very few people, if any, are really able to distinguish between our very high quality MP3s and the original CDs." Despite EMI's statement its DRM-free music won't be exclusive to iTunes, AnywhereCD doesn't appear to offer any music from EMI on its store just yet.

Warner Music Group immediately demanded that AnywhereCD stop selling the label's albums the same day that AnywhereCD launched, saying that selling the music without copy protection was in "flagrant" violation with their agreement. "Accordingly, we have sent them a notice of termination and they are required to immediately remove all of our content from their site," the music label said in a statement given to Reuters. Some of the biggest artists whose music is being sold through AnywhereCD are those from Warner, including that of Madonna and Prince. Unfortunately for consumers, it appears that EMI is one extreme and Warner is the other.